Jehovahs Witnesses and freedom of speech.

They will extol and preach *God's Kingdom* and this sounds attractive,what they hide from you is their Watchtower society version that Jesus has already had his second coming in 1914 and is working *invisibly* through them.
They have won 37 of their 46 Supreme court cases assuring us all of freedom of speech and assembly and equal protection under the law.

The sad irony is that the Watchtower Society *daily* abuses the human rights of thousands of its members. It denies current members the right of free speech by forbidding them to speak to former members, even close family members.
And it denies former members their right of freedom of worship by refusing to allow them to leave the religion with dignity, should they come to disagree with Watchtower's practices or doctrines.

So 5% of atheists pray? To whom do they pray? If their prayers are answered, who answered them? Just wondering! Willow

Other results from the survey:

- 89% of Mormons believe ice cream is a major food group compared to 0% of everyone else.

- 95% of Mormons believe that MLMs are legitimate businesses, compared to 1% of everyone else.

- 90% of Mormons believe that God will financially bless them for going to church compared to 99% of evangelicals and 0% of everyone else.

- 99% of evangelicals believe that God saves people who verbally profess faith and then ignore all the commandments compared to 0% of everyone else.

Oh! PEW these people are living on Old glory. The last report I red was @#$%&* This is no different

The believing in hell question should be thrown out for the Mormons. In Mormomn Doctrine it is a rick question.
Hel is not a place you are sent with fire and brimstone. It is however a condition of the terestial kingdom. Being seperated from God for eternity because of your unworthiness is a 'hell' in itself, but not 'hell' as defined by the poll.

The 'meditate' question may have had a higher response had it been worded 'ponder'.

Not too flattering for those of us in the LDS church. Im proud that we have the highest measured faith that God "for sure" exists but much less proud of being branded intolerant. The results of this survey, in combination with the big FLDS sexual abuse investigation, may cause people to leave the church out of embarassment. At least that's what happened to the Catholic church a few years ago when it was faced with controversy and negative news coverage. It worries me that this will make it even harder for my children to be accepted by their peers- they have already been plenty teased for various other aspects of our faith.

The big difference between Jehovah's Witnesses and Christians is that the Watchtower Society's creed proclaims Jesus second coming on October 1914.

after all; one Philosophy of Man (mingled with scripture) is about as good as another.

Jobu has some good insights.As an evangelical,he is not stretching the truth too much.BTW, MLM's are a great favorite with Evangelicals too!

So Gogat, why do I get the feeling that any research that does not square with your already fixed view of reality would be dismissed as $%%^*& as you put it. If I where to state that 100% of people that do not think like you are wrong, without providing any evidence, you would be writing a glowing review. Just an observation, I maybe wrong.

How can anyone be an atheist? They have no holidays!

This survey actually has some kind of weird results. 5% of atheists pray? Although I'm glad to hear it--it sounds kinda weird. Only 90% of LDS are sure there is a God while 96% believe in miracles. A lot of this seems pretty inconsistent.

I agree that some of these questions are not exactly relevant for LDS. (The question about the existence of Hell) However, that's just the nature of surveys. They lock one into questions and answers that may not be exactly accurate. However, generally what it shows is that LDS in general have a stronger belief and more of a personal relationship with God than most other groups. I'm glad to hear it although I'm not at all surprised.

I hope all will find a way to know God. It is the only way to true happiness.

Jobu:
unfortunately, there are going to be those that will believe your joke is true.

I think it is interesting that, "70 percent of Americans affiliated with a religion say that ... "there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of my religion".

I'd love for them to explain to me HOW they think there can be more than one -TRUE- way to interpret ANYTHING.

What nonsense.

Perhaps they are talking about the many "true" ways of talking about various, but different, aspects of something. Sort of like the idea of the blind men all trying to describe an elephant by feeling different parts (ears, trunk, tail, etc.). Their sense of the "truth" of the elephant are all PARTIALLY true but their idea that the elephant is "like a snake" based on feeling the trunk, or "like a tree" by feeling a leg, are all FALSE.

The truth about truth is that it is not relative. The notion of "several truths" is merely another self-deceptive compromise for the sake of social conformity and/or acceptance.

It is difficult to get qualified responses on religion from mormons because mormons are conditioned to canned responses and use mormon code: to believe is to know, etc. If mormons really were what they say they are it would reveal itself in their lifes as better people, but for the most part they are no different than most others. Mormons have a strong need and desire for father images and this in part influences their religious behavior.

Wow! Now we now what the people believe, who aren't actually attending church on Sundays, don't understand their own beliefs although they profess to be members, and subscribe to the "eat, drink, and be merry" philosophy...

Some great prophets of old have spoken about this very issue. I find it enlightening to see how ignorant most people really are.

To Cat: You can "believe" in miracles without being "sure" there is a God. You just "believe" there is a God.

To Samhill: Just subsitute "effectual," "valid," or "successful" for "true" and you will be able to understand the point of the question and what people were trying to say. For example, it is Mormon doctrine that a Muslim that lives his religion to the best of his ability and understanding will be able to recieve eternal life, even if the path he followed through life was very different than that followed by a Mormon.

To Jobu: I hope you know that you give too little credit to Mormons and way, way too much credit to "everyone else." Having said that, your comments made me chuckle despite the fact that you come across as mean spirited.

To Celia: What in this survey come across as impying Mormon's are intolerant? Kids will tease anything that is different, anything. If it wasn't religous beliefs and practices it would be something else. Just teach your kids that teasing isn't right but to turn the other cheek.

I use to have Jehovah witness stop by my home on a regular basis. I finally had to put a sign on my door that read.... NO Jehovah Witnesses! Otherwise, Pesky people.

samhill:
All of us, are much more blind than we are willing to admit. Yes, truth is out there, but we are greatly limited by our finite abilities.
Maybe the elephant is not really an elephant? But the elephant merely a projection into our 3D world of something much more glorious?

Samhill, what in the sam hill are you talking about? Don't try to sound profound, it is not becoming.

Amen Samhill.

How can there be more than 'one true way' to interpret a religion and its beliefs? One local example.

What was 'true' in early 1978 is no longer 'true' today!

I like your thoughts samhill. Truth is not relative. Truth is things as they really are and things as they really will be. Just as an elephant really is an elephant and not a tree trunk or snake, there is an actual truth about what will happen to all of us after this life is over. My guess is that all human beings will go through the same process when they die, whether Mormon, Christian, Jew, or athiest. A Buddists won't necisarily dwell with Budda when he dies because in this life that is what he believed; and a Christian won't necesarily be saved in the next life by accepting Christ in some form in this life. It is interesting how there can be so many beliefs and religions in the world, but logically there is only one truth about what really will be. It would seem then that people ought to seek for truth, more than what is socially acceptable and more than what culturally and traditionally feels good to them. So, then, the survey really isn't very amazing.

By the way, I keep hearing reporters say that these results can be +/- 6%. I'm not a stat genius, but I learned in grad school that any confidence interval that's greater than 5% means the data is pretty much worthless. So while this creates interesting discussion don't assume that the data is correct.

Rick: My beliefs are not canned responses and I resent you implying so. My beliefs are my own and I express them as my own. Just because I am a Mormon, and believe that the family is the sacred unit does not mean I haven't come to these conclusions on my own. I'm a convert to the church and had to decide for myself if the things I was taught were true. Please acknowledge that fact that it is possible to be a Mormon and not some mindless, obedient drone.

There are no miracles, just amazing things for which we presently have no understanding. All things in the universe have reason.

To Rick and Clare:

Clare: Thanks for your comment. I would also like to add my declaration of belief. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true and that God is real and personal and loves me and answers my prayers. I grew up in the church, but still had to find out for myself and I can say that I do know. Thanks for your defense.

Rick: You make one good point. Sometimes we do act like everyone else. But as Mormons, we do know better and we are taught better. I hope you don't feel that way about all of us. Please know that most of us try very hard to be better each day. Sometimes we don't do very well. It may be a surprise, but we consider ourselves to be imperfect humans and we believe we are here on earth to learn to be better people. I hope that all of us who claim to be believers will make greater efforts to stand for what we believe.

Reading the pages of Christianity Today is enlightening about Evangelical Christians. There is a good deal of discussion of the apparent fact that their religious affiliation seems to have little effect on distingujishing their behavior from other people who are not formally affiliated with a church. They are expressing concern that many of their congregations are so focused on bringing people to the point of making a declaration of faith in Christ that they fail to teach their members anything about what Christ and his apostles taught about the life that should be lived by Christians. The largest Protestant and Evangelical denomination in the US, the Southern Baptist Convention, reported recently that in 2007 their total membership actually dropped by 40,000 people. A spokesmen attributed it to the perception by many people that Baptists are arrogant and intolerant toward others. A nationally known religion professor related last week that the freshman students at a Evangelical church-affiliated university know little about the doctrines of Christianity and don't know the content of the Nicene Creed. Boyd K. Packer was right: The teaching of doctrine changes behavior more than anything else, and Evangelicals are having trouble teaching doctrine to their youth and adults.

The survey demonstrates two things relevant to Mormon-Evangelical relations. First, the caricature made by many Evangelical anti-Mormon publications that Mormons are uneducated and poor, and therefore easily misled, is false; Mormons exceed Evangelicals in educational achievement and income.

Second, the view of many Evangelicals expressed during the presidential primary elections that Mormons like Mitt Romney are not trustworthy supporters of conservative, Republican values, is demonstrably false. Mormons are far more Republican, conservative, and opposed to abortion and the normalization of homosexuality than Evangelicals.

On many of the views that identify social conservatism, Mormons lead all other religious groups, including Evangelicals and Catholics.

It is interesting that Mormons are also the strongest supporters of an active US foreign policy. The fact that many Mormons and their sons and daughters have lived abroad, and that they are very aware of their church's international membership, makes their perspective much more global than other Americans. After all, half of all Mormons live outside the US, in Latin America, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Pacific.

Mormons are educated, prosperous, conservative, religious, and international.

Someone reads CHRISTINITY TODAY? That in itself is reason for joy. I am impressed.

I can't imagine why anyone would consider this report to be negative towards Mormons or other beliefs. It seems to be quite accurate and I doubt anyone at Church headquarters would quarrel with it. The Church has participated in the Pew studies for years and even provides them with statistical information.

Jehovah's witnesses do NOT:
- celebrate Christ's birth
- celebrate Easter
- celebrate Halloween
- celebrate birhtdays
- salute the flag
- go to war to protect freedom of religion,speech, etc.
- sing the national anthem
- take a blood transfusion

these are just a few DO NOT's

OK, will try to post this for the 3rd time. If it doesnt' post this time, I will start a conspiration society and move to the mountains of Idaho.

This study ignored the fastest growing relegion: Environmentalism. As a dogmatic is defined as a person who cannot or will not question the authority, and is not open to logical argument, the Global Warmists certainly fall into this category. For evidence, just watch the recently revealed hoax of the uncontacted tribe in the Amazon forest. Our non-biased media will forgive the author of the hoax, citing the emminent danger of logging as sufficient reason for the lie. Also, note how Al Gore used footage from a science fiction movie in his Inconvinient Truth movie. If the lie fits their belief, it is not questioned. If a study and it's findings are contrary to their belief, it is rejected. Now that is some mighty fine Dogma.

Rick: "most part they are no different than most others".

Behavior-wise, compared to the general population, LDS have a lower divorce rate, alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse (including prescription drugs) is lower, education is higher, family size is higher, and teenage sex rate is lower.

They likely exist, but I am not aware of any studies that have looked at things like loving thy neighbor, lying, cheating, violent crime, etc.

Most striking to me is that some people, including some commenters on this thread, will hold forth on being independent and free thinking, only to next recite the catechism of their faith. Another notable aspect is that many people apparently see being close-minded as an attribute.

Raymond Takashi Swenson: Second, the view of many Evangelicals expressed during the presidential primary elections that Mormons like Mitt Romney are not trustworthy supporters of conservative, Republican values, is demonstrably false.

No, Mitt Romney is not trustworthy because if his own personal lack of integrity. This should in no way reflect on the LDS Church. What do you expect from a McCain republican?

In Reply to ENLIGHTENED's comment

You're right, Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate:

1.Christmas~ Jesus was not born on December 25th, in fact it was probably more like October. “Inexplicable though it seems, the date of Christ’s birth is not known. The Gospels indicate neither the day nor the month.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia.
2.Easter~ Pagan Origins~research it if u like
3.Halloween~Pagan Origins once again
4.birthdays ~ pagan origins
5.Salute the flag ~ we cannot conscientiously give what we view as worship to anyone or anything except our God, Jehovah.
6. Go to war to protect freedom of speech, religion, etc. ~We do not engage in war and take lives, that is a violation of the ten commandments. We have won several court cases on these exact matters that you mention though. Therefore, we do protect those issues, just not in a way that cost human lives.

7.sing the national anthem~ pretty much same thing as with the flag salute
8. Take a blood transfusion~ Blood is a sacred life force, not meant to be abused in this way. You can research the reasons further if you care to know rather than just throw things out there.

RE:Danny

Ummm, We do NOT believe that Jesus second coming was in 1914, you are completely incorrect here. And you statements about the Watchtower Society are unbelievable as well as vastly unfounded, perhaps someone is disgruntled?

Jesus second coming in 1914 aka 'invisible presence' aka 'return to power' is an embarrassing false prophecy that has been printed up in millions of Watchtowers over decades.

Can't deny it now.

Little meaning hath said: "I'm not a stat genius, but I learned in grad school that any confidence interval that's greater than 5% means the data is pretty much worthless. "

No, you're not a "stat genius." The 5% is not a "confidence interval" but a value of p, the probability that the result is due to chance. The data are not worthless but one cannot acceptably draw the stated conclusion if there is more than a 5% probability that the data are the result of chance. If p is greater than 5%, the null hypothesis (that no effect is seen) is accepted.

Tressa, are you counting and reporting your time?

Um...JWBILL, can you prove that that is the case. Printed up millions of times huh? I want specific references. Each magazine, year, date and I want to ACTUALLY look at it. If you SAY you have proof, do it.

For 50 plus years the masthead of the Watchtower,viewed when you opened up to the inside front cover would read as follows:

"This magazine(Watchtower) builds up confidence in the Creators PROMISE of a peaceful and secure "new world" before the generation "that witnessed" the EVENTS OF 1914 passes away"".
By their own admission the Watchtowers has published this dogma in hundreds of millions of pieces of their own literature.

The Watchtower society DID teach 1914 as the 'pivotal year' for Jesus return.

1914 Is believed to be the year in which Jesus began his HEAVENLY reign, NOT earthly. The only time he spent on earth is recorded in the bible. And no, I am not counting my time, I am not a publisher.

I will have to research that JWBILL but when I open MY Watchtower my masthead reads this way:

"The Purpose of the Watchtower is to exalt Jehovah God as Sovereign Lord of the universe. It keeps watch on world events as these fulfill bible prophecy. It comforts all peoples with the good news that God's Kingdom will soon destroy those who oppress their fellow men and that it will turn the earth into a paradise. It encourages faith in in God's now-reigning King-Jesus Christ, whose shed blood opens the way for mankind to gain eternal life. The Watchtower, published by Jehovah's Witnesses continuously since 1879, is nonpolitical. It adheres to the bible as its authority."

Interloper: I wonder if the fact that I have studied the law of gravity and personally been the beneficiary and occasionally the victim of its effects, and am convinced of its truth make me closed minded?

Tressa,
If you are not a publisher...........then you are using "theocratic warfare", and only telling half truths.

You are thus technically a pioneer (auxiliary, special or regular)............whatever.

You are "witnessing", as you have been taught to do.

RE: Enlightened

No sir, I am not a pioneer of any kind, nor was I raised as a Witness. However, you are right, I am "witnessing" to correct falsehoods and misrepresentation as it were when I see it. I do hold fast to the truths I believe in, that's not to say that I am close minded, only that I have proven this to be true to myself. If you had the cure for cancer, wouldn't you share it with the everyone who wanted it?